Vehicle arresting systems are used as barriers at the end of runways to decelerate aircraft that overrun the end of the runway. These systems are designed to predictably and reliably crush (or otherwise deform or displace) under the pressure of aircraft wheels. The materials used in such a system are generally compressible, deformable, crushable, or otherwise able to be compressed, deformed, or crushed upon appropriate impact. The materials are generally designed to have a low strength that allows their crushing upon impact. During an arrestment, the wheels of the aircraft crush (or deform) the material. The depth of wheel penetration into the material is dependent on the vertical load applied by the material. The deceleration of the aircraft is dependent on the drag load applied by the material. In most arresting systems, the main core crushable material has isotropic properties which provide a fixed ratio between the wheel penetration and deceleration for each aircraft.
Due to this ratio, traditional arresting systems may not be able to decelerate certain lighter aircraft in the desired or available overrun area. For example, light aircraft may not have enough weight upon impact with the vehicle arresting barrier to cause the wheels of the aircraft to sink deep enough into the barrier material or otherwise crush enough of the barrier for arrestment.